


Ties of Fate can never be cut.

by enigmaticma



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Depression, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Toxic Behavior, a long suffering, angst with happy ending, cut thread, self loath, warning: suicidal thoughts, warning: suicide reference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:53:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25794679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticma/pseuds/enigmaticma
Summary: The red string of fate ties soulmates to each other from birth. It only materializes as a red knot on the left-hand ring finger when the two people get within close range. There are people who rebel against it, however. Chanyeol was one of those people who did not want to be controlled by fate, and had his knot untied when he was a teen. Jongdae was left with a long red thread hanging loosely from his finger.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Wu Yi Fan | Kris, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Kim Jongdae | Chen & Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Park Chanyeol, Kim Jongin | Kai/Lee Taemin, Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Park Chanyeol, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66
Collections: electriFIREd Round 2





	Ties of Fate can never be cut.

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer :   
> -The names and physical characteristics are used as visual reference, to make you as reader able to imagine the scenes better. The events and the themes of the story do not reflect the way I see the mentionned people in real life, or represent them in any way, shape or form.   
>  \- PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THE WARNINGS. THERE IS A SUICIDE REFERENCE AND A SELF HATERED THEME IN THE FIC.

Jongdae saw his red thread of fate at the age of eighteen, just as he joined university. He was on a date, hoping to find his soulmate when it showed up as he was showering in the morning. His first reaction was to panic but soon his brain processed what his eyes were seeing. The thread started disappearing, leaving behind the knot on his pinky. 

It faded ten minutes after, just as Jongdae tried to swallow his pain and sadness. He was mad at his soulmate before he could control it, “if they don't want me, I’m not going to wait for them!” he spoke in rage. 

He dated Baekhyun, his blind date who was such a sweetheart and dolled him up, for a year before the man found his soulmate and faced Jongdae with it. “Oh it is okay, Baek,” He said with a smile, “You deserve to be with the person who was meant to be yours.” 

Baekhyun smiled, hugging him before saying the words Jongdae dreaded to hear, “I hope you will find yours soon.” Jongdae knew he wouldn't. His soulmate didn’t want him and did whatever they needed to cut it off. 

It is known that if your soulmate dies, the red thread remains but turns white after a month or so, so he knew his soulmate used whatever method there is to cut theirs. He tried not to think of it as he packed for Baekhyun whose soulmate had a better house and asked him to move in. He was done by the time Yi Fan, Baekhyun’s soulmate, showed up with a few men. They picked the boxes up as Yi Fan waited for Baekhyun to get ready. “Bye Jongdae!” Baekhyun said with a happy tone and Jongdae smiled waving.

His smile fell as soon as he was alone. He didn’t cry. He couldn’t cry. The idea that perhaps he wouldn’t find someone to be with because everybody but him had a soulmate crushed his insides. He decided then to focus on his career. “My career is a priority,” he said every single time he was asked out, “I am not interested in dating now.” 

He indeed prioritized his career, finished his military service, and got a job in an IT company as a marketing manager, without dating anyone. Before he knew it, he grew used to being alone. He didn’t even try to have friends, even if he managed few at work, he didn’t try to get to know people, he didn’t try to socialize, he didn’t try to actually find someone fit to be his. 

“You know,” Sehun, one of his coworkers, said, “you will suffer greatly if you don’t try to find your soulmate before you hit thirty.” They were drinking beers and partying after a great successful year, Jongdae sat in the middle of them all, each one of them had a soulmate and lived a happy life.

“They cut the thread when I was eighteen,” Jongdae said with a smile, “so trying to look for someone who doesn’t want me is a waste of time.” Silence fell on the table and Jongdae stood, excusing himself, he paid for the first round of beers and meat and left the place. He walked home when his pinky started aching, he lifted his hand to see the knot brightly red in his pinky. It was glowing.

He was so focused on it that he didn’t see the man who wobbled in front of him until they collided and they fell, Jongdae on top of the stranger. The man looked at Jongdae for a second before losing consciousness and Jongdae reacted fast enough to call the ambulance. 

Park Chanyeol’s perception of Soulmates was painted with blood, since he was a kid, he was considered to be tied with a soulmate meant to be sad forever. He at first hoped that his soulmate would be someone kind, but in highschool, he fell in love.

Kim Minsek wasn’t his soulmate, but he was everything he was dreaming of. They dated from day one, fell in love in the second year, and by graduation, Chanyeol decided he didn’t need a soulmate. 

“Are you sure, Chanyeol?” Minseok asked him worriedly. 

Chanyeol held his hands with a smile. “Everyone I knew either got abused by their soulmate or lived a life of sadness,” he said, happy to have Minseok that close, “Even my own parents, they were soulmates but neither of them loved the other enough to stay together, and I don’t want us to live that, Minseok. You deserve the world.” 

Minseok chuckled, shyly, before pulling Chanyeol closer enough for a hug, “I love you.” Minseok stayed with him the entire time as he looked for a seer - a kind of people who can see threads and actually manipulate them, and he got his thread unknotted. It didn’t hurt and Chanyeol was relieved. 

As he paid the seer, the woman held his hand, serious, before saying darkly, “Ties of fate can never be cut. I may have broken the thread, but your soulmate won’t disappear.” Chanyeol was spooked by the way she glared at him but although he soon forgot her words, Minseok didn’t seem to be able to.

That was how, after six years of relationship, Minseok announced he wanted a breakup. Chanyeol was trying hard not to scream in the middle of the coffee shop. “Why?” he hissed, shaking. 

“I found my soulmate, yeol,” Minseok said sadly, “they were miserable when I told them I had you and tried to keep their distance but, it took a toll on them. It took a toll on me too, yeol. I can’t live with the idea that the person made for me is suffering because of me. it is not right.” 

“What?” Chanyeol barked before laughing loud enough to make everybody look at them, “it is  _ not _ right of you to stay with me instead of going to your soulmate. Yet, it is  _ okay _ for people to abuse their soulmates just because  _ they are made for eachother. _ Is this what you are trying to say?” Minseok said nothing while Chanyeol felt his rage build up as he hissed more, “You could make the choice, like I did, to cut your thread but you kept it and I had to realize that you wanted your soulmate.” Chanyeol noticed many gasped in horror when he said he cut his thread but he ignored them.

Minseok sighed deeply before facing Chanyeol with the question: “And you don’t want your soulmate? What if it was a nice person? What if it was a person who would make you the happiest? What if it was someone who you deserved?” 

Chanyeol shook his head scoffing, “I don’t believe in this fated or deserved soulmate. You deserve what you work for, hyung. I worked for this relationship like you did, you deserve  _ me  _ like I deserve  _ you _ . Not some stranger who may end up being abusive and hurt me.” The silence fell on the whole coffee shop, and Chanyeol had chosen to stand, “I’ll leave. You want your soulmate? Fine. But if that man hurts you, don’t think for a single second that I’ll welcome you back because I know it will happen.” He dashed out of the coffee shop, crashing in his old family home. 

His mother lived alone after the divorce. She looked lonely whenever he went there and that day wasn’t an exception, only that he was sinking in it as much. “You don’t look happy, my son,” she said with a smile. 

“I broke up,” he confessed as his past six years flashed in his mind, “he left me for his soulmate, ma.” 

Before he could hold it, he started hiccuping, sobbing, and crawling to his mother’s hold. She simply held him and gave him time to empty his heart. He blabbered until he slept, curled in her hold. In the morning, he found her sitting with a cup of tea, looking absently ahead. “You know why your father was unhappy with me?” She said aloud, “he had already someone else in his life before meeting me, and once she knew I was his soulmate, she left him. He blamed me for it everyday.” 

Chanyeol sighed, sitting up, “I’ll freshen up.” He washed his face, brushed his teeth and walked up to sit with his mother, picking the breakfast she made.

“Sometimes, I am happy you cut your thread,” his mother said sadly, “because I feel that your father and I destroyed the idea of soulmates for you.”

“How about Noona? Huh? She married her husband who beat her twenty four seven,” Chanyeol commented dryly, “what about the girls I studied with who were bullied by their soulmates to lose weight and look pretty? Or the boys who were manipulated by their soulmates and lost friendships? This soulmate shit is just… a waste of time and energy.” 

His mother sighed, “That’s right, you witnessed many bad soulmate situations, but that doesn’t mean they are all bad. My sisters and brothers all have a good love life with their soulmates, you never saw them complain about it.”

“Maybe they didn’t tell you,” Chanyeol refuted and she gave up. 

Chanyeol found out Minseok moved out and he had to leave his apartment soon because his hair salon’s gains weren’t going to be enough for the rent, the bills and savings. He got himself drunk almost every night, which worried his mother, when he lost consciousness on one of those nights.

He woke up in the hospital. His mother and sister were sitting by his side when he woke up. “Chanyeol,” they said in unison and he groaned.

“Where am I?” He asked before realizing he was in a hospital.

“You are in the hospital, you had alcohol poisoning,” his sister said with a worried expression, “the guy who brought you here said you fainted as soon as you bumped into him.” The women shared a look before his sister announced “I will call the doctor.” 

The doctor’s words were a blur, everything was a blur, and he soon slept. When he woke up, his mother was speaking joyfully when a man's voice boomed, “Oh it is nothing,” the man said, “I wanted to get my conscience clear. How is he?” 

“He had alcohol poisoning so he may remain here for a few days,” his mother said with a sad tone, “the poor kid had a heartbreaking breakup with his boyfriend of six years. So, I understand if he had too many drinks lately.” Chanyeol opened his eyes on time to see the man look at him.

“I understand,” he said with a smile, “I had a hard time recovering from my last break up. It has been years now, but I am still not ready to have anyone in my life.” 

“Poor boy,” his mother patted the man’s head who chuckled shyly and bowed.

“I should leave, I am looking for a roommate and I am meeting with a few potential people.” He said bowing down and the mother nodded, bowing back as he walked out of the room.

Jongdae hasn't gone to the hospital since that day, hoping he won’t meet Chanyeol ever again. He remembered the night of their meeting. His hand was hurting him painfully as he remained with Chanyeol in the ambulance and even as he saw him and his mother afterward. 

Park Chanyeol was his soulmate. Park Chanyeol was the man ready to unknot his link to his soulmate just to be with a man who gave up on him. Kim Jongdae considered it Karma.

He didn’t meet Chanyeol in a year which he considered it as luck. However, Sehun pulled him to a hair salon to get his hair done, a thing he never considered doing since he had cut his hair the same way every time. “You need a change, something new to make you less gloomy,” Sehun commented as he pulled him inside.

Chanyeol was on the counter when Jongdae faced him and the man tensed incredibly, his hand burning. “How can I help you?” He asked them professionally.

“I booked for two, Oh Sehun and Kim Jongdae, to have our hair done and coloring,” Sehun announced and Jongdae looked away as soon as Chanyeol looked at him. The latter frowned but said nothing. “Come on, Sunbae!” 

“I am your hyung outside work,” He said simply as Sehun pulled him to a resting space. Jongdae noticed eyes on him and looked up from his phone screen to notice Chanyeol’s eyes on him. He quickly looked back to his phone, ignoring the man. 

“He is still looking at you,” Sehun commented with a teasing tone, “I guess you finally managed to find someone fit for you.” 

“He must have a soulmate somewhere,” Jongdae simply said, “I don’t do other people’s soulmates.” Sehun went crimson at Jongdae being loud and he coughed in embarrassment before focusing on his phone. 

It was their turn and Sehun told them Jongdae wanted to try a new hair color, “Brown,” Jongdae was fast to say, “I wanted it to be a medium brown and a cut I can wear even in messy waves.” 

“Sure,” the hairstylist said and Jongdae kept his eyes on the mirror, his mind drifting to the man behind the counter. He wondered if Chanyeol felt his end of the thread and if he did, why didn’t he approach him?

The styling took a full hour, and he was happy with the result which pleased Sehun, “You look younger! You barely look twenty six,” The man commented in awe as they stood to pay for the service provided.

“You do look good,” Chanyeol commented with a smile, “I hope you are satisfied with our stylists.” 

Jongdae simply nodded and handed money as he waited for Sehun to pay for his hair. Sehun awkwardly thanked Chanyeol and they walked out of the place, “are you okay, hyung? Did he make you uncomfortable?” 

“I just don’t like him,” Jongdae said simply, “I met him before and I had a bad impression of him.” 

Chanyeol suddenly yelled at them and they looked back at him running with Sehun’s coat. “oh! my coat, I totally forgot it.” 

“I am glad I managed to catch you,” Chanyeol said breathlessly before looking at Jongdae, “Will it be rude of me if I ask you if we met before?” 

“You had alcohol poisoning the last time I saw you,” Jongdae spoke rather formally, not too cold, not too warm, just like he spoke to anyone he had a job with, “I hope you stopped since.” 

Chanyeol looked extremely embarrassed as he scratched his neck, “yeah, I remember,” he said, “I didn’t drink much since. It was… a mistake.” 

Jongdae nodded, “well, I am glad. I don’t like people who worry their mothers that way,” he bowed formally, “See you soon.” 

“Oh, See you soon! Return to our salon when you can,” Chanyeol said with a bow and Jongdae returned it before pulling Sehun along. Chanyeol didn’t know why Jongdae’s expression made him wish he had drank moderately that night. 

Chanyeol met Jongdae again in an amusement park. Jongdae was alone while he was with his mother, his sister and her son. He paid for their entrance feed before pointing out toward him to his mother. His mother recognized him automatically, “Oh Jongdae!” The said man looked startled before smiling toward the mother, bowing to her then to Chanyeol’s sister. He simply shook hands with Chanyeol who looked confused. “I didn’t expect to see you again. When was the last time? A year ago?” 

“I am surprised you remember my name, Auntie,” Jongdae said with a smile, “Are you here to have fun?” 

“It is my grandson’s birthday, so we brought him to celebrate,” She said, pulling the kid who Jongdae wished a happy birthday. “What’s about you? Are you alone?” 

“Yes, I got bored and thought if I check the amusement park maybe it will be a good change of air,” Jongdae commented before bowing to them, “I will let you go as I was just collecting my prizes and going to leave for home.” He showed his tickets and smiled bowing goodbye to them before throwing a cold stare at Chanyeol. 

Even Chanyeol’s mother noticed, “did you do something to the man?” Chanyeol shook his head.

“He said he hates people who worry their mother the way I did,” Chanyeol commented, “Maybe he had a bad impression of me.”

“Such a nice boy,” his mother commented, “maybe you could get his number and talk to the man?” 

Chanyeol looked at him as he left the entrance, “he is gone now, let us go have fun.” 

However, Chanyeol couldn’t have fun. He was troubled by how haunting Jongdae’s expression was. By the end of the day, he wished he could find a way to contact him. Luckily, he noticed Sehun again, who came with five more men. “Oh you brought us many guests,” he said with a smile.

“Yeah, our manager’s haircut was good enough to convince these guys to trust my choice of hair salon,” Sehun commented with a smirk. Chanyeol chuckled before taking their names. 

He took a small break to approach Sehun, “I hope they are taking good care of your friends,” Chanyeol said with a smile, “Did your manager love the hair cut?” 

“Of course he did,” one of the men said with a tease, “he usually hates it when we touch his hair but he was much more careful with it lately.”

“If only he was less cranky lately,” another said, “he didn’t smile since that night.” 

“What night?” Chanyeol looked confusedly at Sehun who looked at him awkwardly, “Oh, he kind of saved my life so I am a little concerned to hear he is unhappy.” 

Sehun nodded, wondering, “Well, the last time he smiled at anyone in the company was the night he told us his soulmate had cut the thread, right?” 

“Yeah, that bastard,” one of them said vehemently, “To do something like that without taking their soulmate’s heart in consideration. Why?” 

“They could be from an abusive soulmate couple,” Another one said, “like my parents. I am happy I didn’t cut the thread because I am truly happy with my wife, but you can never know.” 

The other men tsked unhappily while Sehun commented, “Whatever their reason was, Jongdae sunbae had nobody in his life, and believed he was unwanted. I see his expression when he sees people with their soulmates being happy, that’s why I never bring mine to work.” 

The men looked at each other guiltily and Chanyeol who was standing there, listening, realized why Jongdae was like that with him. “Can I have his number?” He asked and Sehun looked confused for a second before picking a card from his pocket. It was Jongdae’s professional card with his phones and emails. 

He excused himself to pick his phone and walked out to talk. “Hello?” Jongdae answered tiredly.

“Mr. Kim, Hello, I am Park Chanyeol,” Chanyeol didn’t know why he was nervous as he spoke, “My mother wanted your phone number and I looked for it, I hope you are okay with that.” 

“It is fine,” Jongdae’s tone soon turned neutral, “How can I help you?” 

Chanyeol felt like he lost use of his last brain cells as he said, “I know you are my soulmate.” 

Jongdae simply sighed and said, “I am sorry to alert you that you are wrong, My soulmate had cut his thread. There is no way for me to find him nor for him to find me, so I doubt it is me.” 

“I didn’t cut mine, I got it unknotted,” Chanyeol said, “but…”

“Mr. Park,” Jongdae coldly interrupted, “I am in the middle of a contract meeting, I truly don’t have time for this. Please contact me tomorrow after six if possible.” 

Chanyeol slapped his forehead before saying with an embarrassed tone, “yeah, I can do that. I am sorry for bothering you.”

“Talk to you later,” Jongdae ended the call, and forced himself to calm down, before leaving his office to get another cup of coffee. He was still at work, but not making a contract. He just had nothing to do at home and prefered to leave just before bedtime. Talking to Chanyeol made everything ten times worse. 

The next day, Chanyeol called when Jongdae told him, which surprised the latter. “Mr. Kim, I am Park Chanyeol.” 

“Yes, Mr. Park,” Jongdae said calmly for once, “people cutting their threads isn’t a rare occurrence so the chance I am your soulmate isn’t 100% so please let it go.” 

“I will,” Chanyeol said, “but mom wants to invite you for dinner. She said she owes one.” 

“Your mother is kind, Tell her I can come anytime she likes,” Jongdae reassured only for Chanyeol’s mother to pick the phone and finish the discussion with him.

“He is coming in an hour,” she excitedly said, “I should add more rice and make more stew.” 

Chanyeol sighed, “I’ll make the rice.” Jongdae was given the address so he came alone, noticing Chanyeol waiting. They bowed to each other silently before Chanyeol led the way home. his mother managed to make Jongdae smile shyly.

“I am so thankful to you for the way you hurried my son to the hospital and the fact you came back to check on him,” she said with a prizing tone and Jongdae laughed shyly.

“I did what everybody needed to do,” Jongdae said, eating as she offered, “your food is amazing, auntie. I haven’t eaten homemade food in ages.”

“My poor boy, can’t you eat with your family or your soulmate?” She asked him worriedly.

“My soulmate abandoned me and being with my parents who are soulmates and in love is kind of hurting my heart and mind,” Jongdae said simply.

Chanyeol wanted to say something but his mother was fast to react, “My soulmate abandoned me too, my dear, after two kids and almost twenty years together, he divorced me and left,” she said with a kind smile, “but as long as he is happy, as long as I am happy with my kids, things get better.” 

Jongdae nodded before eyeing Chanyeol who seemed to think deeply, “He thinks he is my soulmate,” Jongdae commented, “since he unknotted his thread and I woke up one day with it shining brightly before it faded, he thinks I am his soulmate.” 

Chanyeol and his mother said nothing as they exchanged a soundless discussion. “What do you think, my dear?” 

“I think my soulmate lost the right to claim me in his or her life the second they cut that thread,” Jongdae firmly said, “they made that choice and they have now to face the consequence.”

“Well said,” the mother said before serving Jongdae some more. Chanyeol simply ate without speaking. 

Jongdae bowed and thanked the mother before holding her hands. She then noticed how warm his pinky was and looked at him in surprise as he spoke,, “Thank you for the amazing meal, aunty.” 

“You are welcome anytime.” She said before answering his goodbyes. Once he was out of the house, she said, “his pinky was burning,” She looked at her son who looked at her confusedly, “you were right. He is your soulmate.” 

The following events made no sense to Chanyeol. Jongdae vanished. He tried to call, he tried to email, he tried to talk to Sehun, he tried to see him at work. “I am sorry, Mr. Kim no longer works for our company,” the receptionist said with a sorry smile.

“Do you have any idea where he went?” He asked her worriedly, “I think he is my soulmate.” 

She looked at him in shock before looking around, “I heard he resigned five days ago but nobody is sure.”

Five days prior that day, Jongdae said that Chanyeol had no right to try and claim him back. Chanyeol knew he was right but… He felt a pull toward him and he wanted to know him without that thread telling him things he wanted to understand.

Three months passed before he caught a glimpse of Jongdae. The man was eating in a small restaurant, alone, and looked quite surprised to see Chanyeol who sat in front of him. “Where have you been?” 

Jongdae ignored him, chewing normally and only when he finished chewing did he speak, “why would I tell you?” 

“You know why! I am your soulmate,” Chanyeol complained, angrily while Jongdae just picked food and ignored him, “yah, I am talking to you.” 

“I am listening,” Jongdae mumbled before sipping his beer, “say what you gotta say and leave me alone.” 

“why are you avoiding me?” Chanyeol asked him, “is it because of what I did?” 

“It is because you act like what you did was nothing,” Jongdae spatted angrily, “you think you have the right to talk to me just because you found me?” 

“I wanted to explain myself,” Chanyeol spoke louder, “I didn’t want a thread to decide my fate.”

“No,” Jongdae finished his meal, as Chanyeol’s words were making him less and less willing to eat more. “You had a predefined idea of soulmates, you fell in love with someone, who left you for their soulmate, and as soon as you realized I was yours, you thought I was good enough to be your punching bag.” Jongdae stood angrily, as the man who served them approached, “What makes you any better than your father?” He looked at the confused man who he paid and said, “keep the change, uncle.” 

Chanyeol felt rage build up as he followed Jongdae and held his arm with force, “don’t ever compare me to that man. I never hurt you!” 

Jongdae looked at his arm, “No, you aren’t like your father, you are much worse,” he yanked his arm back and held it with a wince, “you destroyed my life for your own needs, Chanyeol, that is far worse than to leave someone you were abusive against and I know what I am saying, I talked to your mother.” Chanyeol was livid with rage, “He at least was honest the entire time, he didn’t love her and she knew it, but you… you are such a hypocrite, Chanyeol. You only see yourself.” Jongdae walked away and Chanyeol stood there, blind with rage as he walked to his small place and drank himself to sleep.

He met him again and in that time, Jongdae wasn’t alone; He was hugged by another man who held his cheeks. Chanyeol approached them, ready to explode when he heard the man say, “You can’t keep on waiting for your soulmate to show up.” 

“I told you, I don’t have one,” Jongdae said sadly.

“You do,” Chanyeol said angrily, “you do have a soulmate, Jongdae or are you looking for a reason to be pitied by your boyfriend?” 

The man with Jongdae was about to talk when Jongdae looked at him coldly, “You know, baekhyun, why do I say I don’t have a soulmate? He unkotted his side of the thread,” he said loud enough to make people look at them in the coffee shop they were in, “and now he thinks after seven years of pure agony, he can barg in my life to claim me back.” 

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun started, sounding worried. 

“You unknotted the thread, Chanyeol, so to call me your soulmate is the last thing you have the right to do,” Jongdae spoke darkly, “secondly, I don’t want to speak to someone who will physically abuse me like the last time you did. Your hold left a bruise in my arm, Mr. Park, so be thankful I didn’t sue you for assault. I have a very strong lawyer by my side,” he leaned on Baekhyun who nodded.

“I affirm to be his lawyer and he is correct, the bruise I saw could get you a few months in jail for assault,” Baekhyun explained.

Chanyeol scoffed, “like you could put in jail the fucker my sister had as a soulmate who gave bruises more than anyone can count or didn’t mom tell you that?” He said spitefully. 

Jongdae nodded, saying “she told me, and I am sorry for your sister but it is not a reason for you to hurt me.” He stood, “let us go, Baek. I don’t feel well.” 

“Just go to the car, I’ll pay for the coffee.” Jongdae nodded and left while Baekhyun looked at the tense Chanyeol adding, “stop chasing my friend. He is in a bad place right now.” 

“And I am not?” Chanyeol asked him sadly. 

“Did you try to commit suicide in the last months?” Baekhyun asked sharply and Chanyeol looked shocked, “I don’t think so. So please, let him go.” 

Wrenched with guilt, Chanyeol made the choice to be the one who disappeared for a while. He was planning to open a hair salon in another city and he supervised the entire process. It took him a year and a half to make the hair salon have a fixed number of fans. 

In his return, his mother didn’t say anything, noticing how disheartened he looked. “Why don’t you contact your ex and check on him?” she asked him, “he would be happy if you talked and became friends again.” 

Chanyeol was about to refuse but then again he had no friend except Minseok so he looked for Minseok, finding him working in an IT company on the other side of the city, with his soulmate and husband. Minseok was surprised when Chanyeol asked him to meet up, “You can tell your soulmate to come with you, it will be on me.” 

“Chanyeol, why?” Minseok sounded quite confused, “Are you okay?” 

Chanyeol felt his heart twist, hearing someone sing in the background, “I just need a friend right now and you are the only friend I ever had.” 

“Oh, okay. I’ll tell my husband and we will make time to meet up, maybe tomorrow or after tomorrow, is it okay?” Minseok asked Chanyeol who hummed in agreement. “We will meet up in a BBQ place my husband and I love to go to, you will love it too.” 

Chanyeol didn’t realize he was shedding tears until he had to sniff but instead wiped and said, “I’ll wait for your text, okay? With the address and the time,” he tried to sound less sad but couldn’t and Minseok sighed.

“Don’t hold your tears, Chanyeol. You have the right to cry,” Minseok said kindly, “we will meet up and we will talk. okay?” 

“Okay,” Chanyeol said only for Minseok to say goodbye and end the call.

Meeting them was another story. When he approached them, he could tell the soulmate was upset. He bowed to them before sitting. “Chanyeol, this is my husband and soulmate, Kyungsoo. He is three years younger than you.” Minseok said teasingly, while poking his husband.

“Nice to meet you Kyungsoo, I am Chanyeol, Minseok’s friend since high school.” Chanyeol said, forcing himself to smile, “I don’t have friends so I had no one to come to but him.”

“Nice to meet you,” the man said softly which contrasted his glare.

“So how are you, Chanyeol? How is your salon doing?” Minseok started the discussion.

“My salon did well so I opened one in Ilsan, I will split my time between them,” Chanyeol said proudly, “you still work as an engineer?” 

“No, my husband and I are both in the administration,” Minseok explained. “How about your love life, did you get a boyfriend?” 

“I found my soulmate,” Chanyeol said and Minseok choked in the water he was drinking. 

“What?” He managed to ask as Kyungsoo patted his back, “but you unkotted your thread, how did you manage to find him?”

Chanyeol chuckled, “you can say that god punished me, I met him about three months after my breakup, I had alcohol poisoning and he took me to the hospital. We met often until I guessed he was my soulmate, and my mother held his hand when he was around me and said his pinky was burning.” 

“Did you talk to him?” Minseok asked him after a pause. 

“He said I don’t have the right to claim him back after doing what I did,” Chanyeol explained, “his friend said he was in a bad place since he met me and he even tried to committ suicide so I stopped looking for him.” He shed tears as the silence fell on the table.

“I understand you had a bad idea of soulmates and didn’t believe in them but, your soulmate is right, Chanyeol” Minseok said as he helped his husband grilling the meat, “Cutting the thread made you lose the right to call them soulmate. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance.” 

“You are still his soulmate,” Kyungsoo commented, “so you can still be part of his life if you truly wanted to.” 

“I don’t know if I want to,” Chanyeol admitted, “I am fucked up, I don’t think anyone deserves me.” 

“He does, he is your soulmate for a reason,” Minseok said, “Just give him time and figure yourself out.” 

Kyungsoo suddenly looked up from the grill when he noticed someone behind Chanyeol, “Oh isn’t that the marketing manager of our company?” Minseok moved his eyes at that, and smiled.

“Oh, Mr. Kim, it is a surprise to see you.” A familiar voice said, “I didn’t see you in the elevator today.” 

“We came to meet an old friend,” Minseok said pointing toward Chanyeol who had wide eyes on Jongdae. “Here is Chanyeol, my friend from highschool and Chanyeol, please meet our marketing manager, Kim Jongdae.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Jongdae said with a bow when a man approached him, “Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Kim Jongin, He works in the company in front of ours.” 

Jongin looked surprised for a second before bowing to Minseok and Kyungsoo then to Chanyeol. “Nice to meet you, “ he said before whispering into Jongdae’s ear, “I’ll book a table for us.” 

Jongdae nodded smiling before bowing to them, “enjoy your meal.” 

Once he was far from the table, Chanyeol announced “I need to leave.” 

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Minseok asked only for Chanyeol to nod, shedding tears, “Oh Chanyeol…” Chanyeol sniffed before burying his eyes into the palm of his hands. He felt hands on his back, patting him. 

“I am fucked up, Minseok hyung. I had to expect it to hurt like this,” Chanyeol said as he allowed Minseok to pull him to a hug, “She was right, the seer was right, we can never play with the ties of fate. I may have unknotted the thread but he is my soulmate and I just saw him move on from me with someone else.” 

“It is okay,” Minseok said patting his head, “if you are meant to be with each other, you will be with each other.” 

“If it was true, why didn’t dad come back?” Chanyeol asked him, sniffing sadly, “why didn’t my brother in law come back for my Noona?” 

“What if they did and just like Jongdae, your mother and Noona made the choice to move on?” Kyungsoo asked him, “Did you ask them about it?” Chanyeol shook his head, “You need perhaps move on from your own wounds before facing Jongdae yet again.” 

“He is right,” Minseok said softly, “talk to your family.” 

Chanyeol thanked them and paid for their meal in advance before leaving. Meanwhile, Jongdae had observed it happening as Jongin and his soulmate goaffered themselves. “Now I finished eating, so explain to me why you lied about me being your boyfriend?” Jongin’s soulmate looked up from his plate shocked, “he lied to some guys there. What is it hyung?” 

“One of the three men is my soulmate,” Jongdae explained while still eating, “he unkotted the thread when I was eighteen and I wanted to make sure he won’t look after me.” 

“I see,” Jongin nodded as he sipped his beer, “he looked like he saw a ghost so I don’t think he was expecting to meet you.” Jongdae gave Jongin a look, “I’m your younger brother, Jongdae hyung, you can’t hide things from me.” 

“But you didn’t know he had his thread cut,” Taemin, his soulmate, said with a teasing tone. Jongin simply punched his arm softly, “ouch, what was that for?” 

Jongin and Taemin were about to bicker when Jongdae spoke, “he changed a lot since the last time I saw him.” 

“You have changed a lot since the last time I met you, hyung. People change with time.” Jongin commented, “but did he change enough for you to move on from what he did to you?” 

“No,” Jongdae simply said, “nothing he will ever do will make it up to the emotional pain he made me go through.” 

“Hyung,” Tae Min started, “fighting him out of your life isn’t going to make you any happier.” He approached Jongdae, “I say if you keep meeting him despite your tries to avoid him, then it means you should give him a chance to see what he did to you.” 

“Taemin is right, hyung. Ties of fate can never be cut, and the proof of that is that you met your soulmate despite the absence of the thread.” 

Jongdae gave it a thought, considering the fact Chanyeol knew he was his soulmate without the thread, “you think I should talk to him?” 

“The next time you meet him?” Taemin said as he made a roll for Jongin, “Yes, tell him how it felt to live like that, and why you are so mad and for how long it would take him to pay for what he did.”

Chanyeol went home a few days later, as his mother made a family dinner for them, and asked her, “Did dad come back or tried to contact you?” 

His mother looked at him in shock for a moment, “He did, but I refused to meet him.” Chanyeol looked at his sister who nodded.

“He apologized to me and promised to be better but I refused to give him a chance,” she said, helping their mother with cooking. Chanyeol just sat down, feeling like crap, and kept his mouth shut the entire time.

He realized he was in a bad place too. The more time passed the less will he had to live and it was all his fault. He didn’t know what to do. He could only focus on his career.

However, on his long walk after work, he noticed Jongdae’s boyfriend kiss another man. They were fully making out so he quickly held the man’s shoulder, “what are you doing? How can you do this to Jongdae?” 

The men were confused and they both looked terrified, “Jongdae? What did I do to Jongdae?” The man he was holding asked confusedly. 

“You are kissing a man while being with another?” Chanyeol pointed out, trying hard not to scream or punch the man.

They suddenly burst in laughter and Chanyeol nearly hit the man who held his hand, “he was never my boyfriend,” the man said, “he is my older brother, so it would suck.” 

“Older brother? But he…” Chanyeol let go of the man, confused, “why did he say so?” 

The men were still chuckling, “this is epic,” the other man said, “He is Jongin and I am Taemin by the way, Jongin’s soulmate.” 

“I am sorry,” Chanyeol was still confused, “I thought you were cheating on him.” 

Jongin shook his head with a smirk, “Hyung had no one since he was eighteen. He dated only once, but his boyfriend found his soulmate and he gave up looking for anyone to love. He lived with the idea he would never be loved so I doubt he will have a boyfriend or a lover anytime soon.” 

Chanyeol said nothing, frowning, as the words echoed in his mind. No wonder Jongdae was in a bad place the entire time, he thought; living a loveless lonely life was all Chanyeol gave him. He on the other hand had a boyfriend before meeting him. He had lived a happy love life until the breakup. 

He didn’t realize how heartbroken he may have left Jongdae until he met him and now he realized he had to do like Minseok did back then and just live with the thread instead of doing what he did. He could have just done that and none of this would have happened.

“Are you okay, man?” Jongin asked him as he kept quiet for a long moment.

Chanyeol simply shook his head, mumbling, “I don’t think I deserve to be okay.” He bowed before apologizing to them and left them there. Jongdae was surprised when Jongin told him what happened. 

“He looked like we ripped his chest open, Hyung,” Jongin explained, “I think he truly regrets what he did to you. Can’t you just talk to him?” 

Jongdae sighed as talking to Chanyeol was hurting his mind for the time being, “I am not ready to hear excuses.” 

“I don’t think so,” Jongin commented, “I think you still believe he won’t be able to love you, because he already gave up on you before knowing you.” Jongdae didn’t answer so Jongin added, “Hyung, just talk to him. Empty your heart, let him empty his, and end it once for all. He needs to stop being a source of heartache for you.” 

Chanyeol didn’t expect to see Jongdae anytime soon. However, he showed up just as they were closing. He approached Chanyeol, neutrally, and loudly spoke. “Can we talk?” Chanyeol nodded and followed Jongdae outside, they stood on the empty sidewalk looking anywhere but at each other, before Jongdae spoke yet again, “I don’t know what to say, despite how many times my brothers and friends ask me to talk to you.” 

“You are right,” Chanyeol said suddenly, “I don’t deserve to call you my soulmate, I don’t deserve you as a soulmate.” He didn’t look up, “I am a selfish bastard and I never deserved forgiveness, but… I just didn’t want to be controlled by a thread, I never meant to hurt you, I just thought that once I am free from the thread, I won’t suffer anymore. I would love whoever my heart wanted and be with whoever my mind wanted.” He looked up to meet Jongdae's neutrally calm expression, “I didn’t think of how you would feel, the seer said it won’t hurt and I was okay with that reassurance. I didn’t care to ask about possible consequences and I lived six beautiful years… while you were alone, I was living happily.” Jongdae winced and looked away while Chanyeol’s sight blurred and his throat got clogged with pain, “I can’t even say I am sorry… what sorry would fix anyway? It didn’t fix my mother’s heart or my sister’s emotional health, it fixed nothing and I doubt it will fix anything now.” 

“Then what are you going to do to fix this?” Jongdae asked him.

Chanyeol shed tears, “I don’t know. At this point, I am barely able to breathe, Jongdae,” he confessed, “the more I think of it the more I hate myself.” 

“That wasn’t the point,” Jongdae snapped, “I didn’t fight you out of my life to make you suffer, I wanted to be left alone.” 

“Do you really think anyone who makes their soulmate suffer like I did to you wouldn’t suffer back?” Chanyeol asked sadly, “ I hope you don’t think so lightly of the situation, Jongdae. The second I met you, my life stopped being the same. I was heartbroken but suddenly I was okay, I was lost but suddenly I could move on and it made no sense. I was an asshole to you the entire time because I had no idea what was happening to me nor what happened to you all that time. I was ignorant and I still think I don’t have an idea of what you went through, Jongdae.” Jongdae looked at him like he got slapped, “I can leave you alone, Jongdae, but before that I want you to know something real and definitely true.” 

Chanyeol paused for a second as he sniffed and dried his tears so Jongdae asked him, “What is it?” 

“You are not unwanted, not unloved,” Chanyeol said firmly, despite his tears, “you just had a crappy man as a soulmate and you deserve much better, you always have and always will.” Jongdae stood there stunned and Chanyeol bowed to him, “I hope you will open up to someone who will deserve you, Jongdae, I really do.” He looked up, before bowing again, “Good bye, Soulmate.” 

Jongdae was still stunned as Chanyeol turned to leave but he still hurriedly held his arm, Chanyeol looked at him in surprise for a second but said nothing.

None of them said a thing until Chanyeol’s co-workers called him and said their goodbyes. “Can I talk now?” Jongdae suddenly asked, “I feel like you are the only one who had been talking since we met.” 

“I did, I am sorry,” he said bowing his head slightly, “please be free to talk.” 

Jongdae closed his eyes out of frustration, groaning “do you have beer in your workplace? I seriously need one.” 

Chanyeol nodded and hinted to Jongdae to walk in before offering him beers from his fridge. 

They sat in the waiting area, bathing in silence for a while, before Jongdae spoke, “I cried that day. The day you unknotted your thread, I cried my heart out and all I could feel was anger. I went on a date, with the man you saw me with like a year ago, and it was fine until he found his soulmate. I realized when I was alone in our shared dorm room that everyone I approached would have a soulmate already and I will be left behind once they find them. It was a heartbreaking realization as it slowly brought back the feeling that my soulmate didn’t want me because I didn’t deserve it and I felt unloved, unwanted, uncared for, until I started being neglecting toward myself. It took me time to love myself enough to respect it.” 

Chanyeol closed his eyes, tired already, as he mumbled, “please…” 

“I spent six years growing that idea and when I met you, I was mad at you, even more so everyday,” Jongdae continued, “I even considered ending my own life, Chanyeol, because it reached a level of loathing that harmed me but everybody wanted me to talk to you, to tell you everything I had in heart so I can have my closure.” 

“Closure?” Chanyeol asked him confused.

“I actually thought talking to you would make me happier, at least less hurt but I am still hurt and I am still struggling with self hatred,” Jongdae spoke, without actually wincing, “I don’t know which course to take now. Speaking to you on its own wasn’t enough to bring me peace.” 

Chanyeol sighed, defeated, “It didn’t bring me peace either.” He sat there, tired and still unable to stop the ringing in his ears, when he felt a hand on his and looked at it, shocked, before looking at Jongdae. “Jongdae?” 

“If fighting each other about the past can’t give us peace then maybe,” Jongdae started before facing Chanyeol, “maybe we should give each other a chance.” Chanyeol closed his eyes, shaking his head, “I am tired of this, Chanyeol. Aren’t you tired?” Chanyeol nodded, without looking at Jongdae, “then I want us to be friends, maybe then I’ll forget and forgive…” 

Chanyeol looked at Jongdae with sad tired eyes, “you know,” he mumbled, “If I was in your shoes, I would have killed my soulmate or punched him in the face until no anger was left in me.” 

“Punching you will only make me hate myself afterward,” Jongdae said with a smile, “plus you are too big for me to reach your face.” Jongdae gave him a strong punch in the arm, “wow I feel like I punched a wall! Do you work out?” 

Chanyeol nodded, “I have worked out since I was in highschool,” he admitted bluntly. Jongdae poked his arm with an impressed look, but said nothing, noticing Chanyeol’s down expression. 

“Do you really want to be my friend?” 

“We opened up, Chanyeol, and I still don’t feel better about it,” Jongdae said with a soft tone, “I just want to try and find peace. Don’t I deserve it?” 

“You do,” Chanyeol agreed immediately.

Jongdae chuckled softly, “you are either being too honest or a perfect liar.” 

“I am honest,” Chanyeol commented with a kicked pup look, “you deserve to find peace after what I did.” 

Jongdae looked at him silently for a while and smiled ruffling his hair, "you look like a kicked puppy, you know that?" 

Chanyeol looked away, embarrassed, and touched his ears, "I heard I looked like Yoda."

"Nope," Jongdae said, finishing his beer, "definitely a kicked puppy." He stood up before offering his professional card, "I got to go because I work tomorrow. Call me whenever you feel like it."

Chanyeol looked at the card as he held it and looked up, curious, "I can?" Jongdae nodded, smiling a little at how Chanyeol's expression brightened up. "I didn't change my number, so you will know it's me."

"I changed the phone, I longer have any of my old contacts so text me first," Jongdae said as he walked toward the exit. "I will pay you back for the beer!" 

Chanyeol didn’t take time to text Jongdae, “you don’t have to pay for the beer,” out of nowhere. Jongdae guessed Chanyeol didn’t know what to say without sounding awkward.

They texted through the week, just throwing random things to discuss about. Jongdae was uncomfortable at first but Chanyeol had been random at most, telling him he met a dog, or how a rude customer made a scene, or how he went home to find his mom cooking for him some kind of food. Jongdae did as much. He spoke of the weather, the people he met, but at the end, they spoke about anything but themselves.

“I don’t know what to do,” Jongdae whined as he plopped down on Baekhyun’s sofa. 

Baekhyun and Yi Fan were making dinner as he told them about confronting Chanyeol and so they both shared a look at his state. “You know what to do,” Yi Fan commented.

Baekhyun finished that by saying, “you don’t want to face it,” while pointing the spatula at his friend’s face. 

Jongdae pouted at that and looked down to his phone when Chanyeol sent him “I am going to lose it with today’s customers.” Jongdae usually didn’t answer until Chanyeol elaborated but he wrote “>_< I know the feeling! What happened?”

It was simple. Jongdae felt that it was simple yet it lifted a weight out of his shoulder. Chanyeol sent out a whole rant about a group of customers who were loud and demanding. Jongdae read it all and felt sorry for Chanyeol.

“You sure have a lot of patience,” he wrote back, “hang on! They will leave soon. Hwaiting!” Chanyeol sent him a shy man sticker but went silent for a while.

“They left,” he said as he was half way through his bowl of rice and the couple eyed the phone before nodding to Jongdae urgently. “What are you doing?” Chanyeol asked him. 

“Eating dinner with friends,” Jongdae answered back.

“Oh, I can talk to you later.” 

Jongdae hurriedly typed, “I will be done with dinner in a half hour, we can talk after I wash my hands.” Chanyeol sent him thumbs up and Jongdae looked up. Yi Fan and Baekhyun were expecting him to say something so he stuttered, “I… He is nice to talk to.”

“See? Soulmate bond can help you find a middle ground,” Baekhyun gave him a reassuring smile, “it doesn’t matter if you don’t become a couple, friendship is better than what you got from your soulmate for the past years.” 

“Plus, your mood is definitely better,” Yi Fan added. Jongdae wanted to object but who was he lying to? He indeed became better after facing Chanyeol. His wounds didn’t all heal but he was getting there. 

He was definitely getting there. “I wanna see you,” Chanyeol texted him suddenly, “if it is okay?” 

He looked up, shock written in his face and Baekhyun snatched the phone, “Hey!”

The couple read the message and Baekhyun gave him back the phone, “you should meet up.” 

Jongdae pouted in displease but indeed wrote, “when and where?”

“I can pick you up from your friend’s place and drive you home,” Chanyeol wrote back, “it doesn’t have to be anything. We can drive through the night, if you want.” 

“Sounds like you have a lot of time in your hands,” Jongdae commented, “I have to be in bed before midnight.” 

“I can manage to take you home before that,” Chanyeol assured, “so, can I pick you up?”

“Yeah, I’ll send you my position,” Jongdae sent the location tag and looked up, noticing the heat that rose in his face. “He is picking me up to take me home.” 

“That is nice, you can talk meanwhile,” Baekhyun said before pouting at Yi Fan, “you never drove me home, Fan Fan.”

“You basically come home before I do,” Yi Fan retorded, unfazed, “and we live together.” Baekhyun pouted at him, “I’ll drive you home next time, okay?” 

“Ugh,” Jongdae groaned, “stop. I am getting diabetes.” 

Baekhyun frowned at him, “when you will find the one for you, you will be like us too.” 

The idea that crossed Jongdae’s mind then was that the one for him was Chanyeol. it made him freak out for a second and his friends didn’t see that. 

Waiting for Chanyeol to pick him was nerve wracking. Jongdae didn’t know what he would do then.

Chanyeol didn’t seem to act any special when he picked Jongdae. He smiled to the man politely, “hi.”

Jongdae noticed however that the man looked tired, “Hi. Rough day?” 

Chanyeol sighed, “yeah. I had the worst day of my life at work.” Jongdae patted his tight unconsciously before he noticed he rushed to put on his seatbelt.

“So let us go, you can vent out on the road,” He commented, trying to sound steady, “I am all ears.”

Chanyeol smiled at that. He looked at Jongdae who looked at him and fast looked at the road. “I actually wish to just… be with you and say nothing.” Chanyeol’s ears turned red, “When I think of you, I get better.” 

“Sure,” Jongdae said after a stunned silence. “We can go have some food, if you want? I think you didn’t eat.”

“I don’t feel like eating,” Chanyeol admitted, “I don’t feel like being with anyone but you right now.” 

Jongdae was surprised but he said nothing about it, just nodding. He could feel Chanyeol look at him from time to time and he snapped out of his embarrassment to say, “do you know where I live?”

“I’m waiting for you to tell me,” Chanyeol mused. He definitely looked amused. 

“Well,” Jongdae set the gps and sat back with a smile, before announcing to Chanyeol, “Whenever you feel like you can take me home, just confirm the location.” 

Chanyeol looked content with that choice, nodding to Jongdae and just driving around, silently. “How are you feeling lately?” Chanyeol asked suddenly which made Jongdae stop staring at Chanyeol’s arms. 

Jongdae looked away before carefully picking his words, “I don’t know but my friends think I am better than I used to, especially since I faced you.”

“I am glad,” Chanyeol admitted. 

“How about you?” Jongdae asked and noticed the frown on Chanyeol’s face, “didn’t it make anything easier for you?” 

Chanyeol sighed, “to be honest, It made me hate my father more. He could have tried to make as much effort as I did but he didn’t.”

“How did you know?” Jongdae asked him, stern, “it could be that while I forgave you, your mother didn’t want to forgive. She wasn’t willing to.” 

“She still loves him,” Chanyeol said, sad and heartbroken, “she still holds his things dear to her and keeps the rings around. He could win her over. He could try.”

Jongdae sighed, looking back at the road, “you can’t compare your experience to hers, Yeol,” he mumbled sadly, “I am not your mother and you are not your father.” 

That sealed the discussion and Chanyeol parked in front of Jongdae’s building without saying a word. Jongdae didn’t mind. 

He knew Chanyeol needed space and space he gave. 

They didn’t talk around a month, before Chanyeol sent Jongdae a message. “I missed you,” it said. 

Jongdae rolled his eyes at that but he couldn’t deny that he missed the man too. “Did you clear your head?” 

Chanyeol didn’t answer for a whole hour, which Jongdae expected it to be due to his job, but soon found a “I am waiting outside,” written in a message. It made him dash out of his office a little earlier than usual. Chanyeol was indeed there.

The tall man brightened up as soon as he saw Jongdae, even though his smile was small, and Jongdae smiled back. “Hi, you.” Jongdae said when Chanyeol pulled him in a sudden kiss.

It was one of the best kisses he had, not that he had many, and Jongdae lost sense of reality as they broke the kiss to look at each other. “Wow,” they said in unison before laughing. It was overwhelming but felt so right that Chanyeol pulled Jongdae to another kiss. They kissed until Jongdae felt high and nearly fainted in Chanyeol’s arms.

“Let me take you home,” Chanyeol offered and Jongdae smiled nodding. They didn’t say a word and they didn’t need to. Everything they wanted to say didn’t matter right then. 

They decided to try and go on a date almost a month after that kiss. It was hard for Jongdae to give in and push all his demons back to hell while Chanyeol felt like he was undeserving. He wanted to make Jongdae feel loved at all cost.

He planned the entire date, as he was the one who went into dates, and Jongdae was smiling the entire time. He was happy to see Chanyeol fuss around him, joke around to make him laugh and pay attention to whatever he wanted. 

It was touching but at the same time pressuring because Jongdae wanted to take Chanyeol on dates too and he had no idea how to act like that. It was the sweetest date ever. 

They basically did nothing but walk around the mall, eat things, drink things, play some and window shop. Still, Jongdae laughed more that day than anytime before. He felt loved that day than anytime before. “You set the bar too high,” Jongdae complained, “now, I have no idea what to prepare for our next date.” 

Chanyeol scratched his nap, embarrassed, “I did my best so I doubt I can be better than this,” he said awkwardly, “I wanted us to have a meaningful first date.” 

Jongdae rested his head on his arm, sighing, “I loved it so much that I don’t want to go home yet.” 

“I’d love to take you somewhere to stargaze but you have work tomorrow,” Chanyeol commented only for Jongdae to groan. 

“I hate how right you are,” Jongdae grumbled as Chanyeol led him to the car. “I’ll figure out how to make you wish you could stay with me longer too,” he said with a pout.

Chanyeol nearly tripped on thin air before looking at Jongdae briefly, “I always do.” Chanyeol blushed as he confessed that, “as soon as I met you in my hair salon, all I wanted was to see you longer. It was confusing at first, as I had no idea why you didn’t stop haunting my mind, but now, there isn’t a second I spend without thinking of you.” 

Jongdae smiled at that, kissing Chanyeol softly on the lips, before whispering, “well that makes things easy for me, boyfriend.” 

Chanyeol may have lost the title of soulmate, but he loved the sound of that very much.


End file.
